By Elizabeth Cloutman

California’s power shortage has twice affected downtown Los Altos with rolling blackouts in the past two months, leaving some businesses temporarily without power Jan. 17 and March 19, while others remain unscathed.

Reactions to the power crisis vary among downtown businesses, with some saying they have taken precautions while still others say they have not. Los Altos City Hall, city police and fire stations, all of which provide essential services during emergency situations, have plans and power backups in place.

Patricia Jackson, owner of Ciana Inc., A Salon and Day Spa, said her business was disrupted for about two hours on Jan. 17. “There was nothing we could do. Our computers were down and our telephones, because they’re connected to the computers,” she said. “Luckily, we had printed out our schedule that morning. We used cell phones to tell our customers not to come.”

Sam’s Pizza lost “five or six” customers who had placed orders shortly before the more recent 90-minute blackout on the evening of March 19, said Joe You, the manager.

Employees at two other downtown eateries, Peet’s Coffee and Tea and Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream and Yogurt Store, said they weren’t particularly concerned about frequent blackouts as they shared the same power grid as the police. However, as a precaution, Peet’s has candles and flashlights, employee John Leach said.

Even the Los Altos police get only a few minutes warning before a blackout., Capt. Cliff Balch said. “Basically they’re unannounced events,” he said.

Because the police force is small, there aren’t enough police to set up portable stop signs or patrol intersections throughout the city when traffic lights go out.

Balch said an intersection with an inoperable traffic light is to be treated as a four-way stop. “We rely on people being aware of that.”

Employees Claire Clark of the Adobe Animal Hospital and Sue Hildebrand of Safeway said their respective businesses also had generators.

Salon owner Jackson said while she knew a generator would prove helpful, “where would we store it?”

Kathleen Byrne, executive director of the Los Altos Village Association, said downtown Christmas lights, were taken down three months early to conserve energy.

She also said she was also working with PG&E to present an energy conservation seminar for downtown merchants in the near future.